Running from Vengeance
by Lady Danar
Summary: This is the story of 2 teens from a small village in a faerie tale land like the Grimm brothers. The 2 unfortunate teens are lost in a ghastly tale of revenge. R&R! 7 chapters now up!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Scores of exciting happenings have been sweeping the faerie tale lands. Princes fall in love with Princesses, evil Queens are vile to there step daughters, talking cats and irritating donkeys annoy Scottish ogres and trolls wreak havoc creating chaos but no one has time to hope, as this is an era of adventure, romance and epic quests. Despite that fact far across land, over rivers, mountains and peaks as high as Everest, a dangerous sorcerer is looking for vengeance.

Years ago when he was young wizard he met a beautiful woman whom he fell head over heels in love with. In spite of this she was still in love with her childhood sweetheart, a handsome young man ordained as a warrior. So his love was never fulfilled, never properly requited, now, years on both lovers are dead thus his retribution is aimed upon their only child.

For the past years he and his trusty companion have travelled over water, through forests and flown higher than mountains training, and travelling home. In the months recently gone, his companion has failed him and betrayed him, forcing him to blatant delinquency.

But that isn't where the story starts.

It doesn't end there either.


	2. Skimming Pebbles

**Chapter 1 - Skimming Pebbles**

Dodge was a relatively happy town, it may have had its few rivalries and spats but the citizens generally got on with their lives. The main rivalries however, were actually between the teenagers of the small village.

The two main gangs were the Eagles and the Wolves; there was also a group of four outcasts who were known to the other gangs as the Night Owls. They didn't like the rivalry between the gangs and never called themselves the Night Owls although they also never mixed in with the other gangs. They were the smarter ones and some of the only logical teenagers in Dodge and were known as birds, like the Eagles, as they were closer to them than to the Wolves. These weren't fierce rivalries of course, although, much as the Wolves wanted it, there was no violence. They mostly fought between themselves and this was most entertainingly prominent in the Night Owls...

* * *

Just along from the main bridge in Dodge three of the four teenagers that were known as the Night Owls were sitting on the bank of the modest river that ran through the village. Alicia was complaining about the gangs... as usual!

"I can't believe they are _still _calling us the _Night Owls_," she whined, "It's ridiculous!" True to form, Corell was sitting on a nearby rock listening intently.

"I totally agree," he replied vaguely. Another rock skimmed neatly across the water finally sinking at the far bank... possibly killing a small, slow witted fish.

"I sincerely doubt that that you even know what she is talking about." Speaking was a handsome boy skimming rocks across the water, Xander. Corell glared at him.

"No thanks to you," he spat viciously.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a solitary pebble soared through the air and smashed into the side of Xander's head, flinging him into the water.

Bursting out of the water like an angry mountain troll he swore bitterly as he saw his all too familiar attacker.

"YOU TOOK MY HORSE!" She screamed crashing into the water and grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. "Where is he? Where is Striker?" Shaking her off and looking furious, Xander squared up to her.

"Yassen? Are you CRAZY?" he said, "What the heck are you on about?" She looked livid, now soaking wet, her hair was all over the place and her eyes were full of anger and her voice full of acid.

"You stole my horse." She was now speaking very slowly, each word was concentrated with pure hatred on Xander. "You unlocked the gate and let Striker out into the open fields. So now he's gone and it's _all_ _your fault!_"

_Oh..._ he thought _That..._

"What are you talking about?" He said innocently. "I haven't been near the stables all day."

Yassen paused for a moment before scrambling out of the water and storming back towards the village. Xander's gaze followed her until she disappeared around a corner into the village square. When he turned back both Alicia and Conell were staring at him, both with questioning looks on their faces.

"I thought he would come back," he said in his defence. Alicia raised her eyebrows at him and he went on.

"He's a _very_ smart horse!"


	3. Leaving Dodge

**Chapter 2 - Leaving Dodge**

"So are you sure about this?" said Alicia. Alicia, Corell and Yassen were congregated in Yassen's room above the Nightingale Pub in Dodge.

She had lived there for the four years since she had left the local orphanage when she was 12. On one dark November night she had escaped the 'Pixie Orphanage' in the local town of Toole, to be dragged back, kicking and screaming the following day. The next night however, she prevailed leaving behind only a night guard (tied up) and a short note (threatening).

"I'm as sure as I'll ever be. I'm going travelling and there's nothing you can do about it," she added as Alicia went to interrupt.

"Well, if there's nothing we can do to stop you, you had better be off," said Corell, "It'll be dark in about four hours and you need to get to Foull by nightfall."

"Then we should have time for a drink or two down in the bar!" She replied, laughing. The, out of the blue there was a knocking on the window, they all turned to see Xander's grinning face at the glass.

"Can you let me in please?"

Crawling over the bed Corell opened the window and Xander half-crawled, half-toppled over the windowsill. After a pause Yassen spoke up.

"I'm guessing that Rita wouldn't let you in the bar." She speculated; he had been barred the week before.

"Um." He said. "I've bought you a going away present!" As everyone looked in confusion (Duh! They hate each other!) Xander led them over to the window and when they looked down into the street the present said... neigh! "I found him by the stables this morning!"

_He _did_ say Striker was a smart horse_ thought Corell _he was obviously right!_

Down in the bar Corell had got a round in, Xander was hidden underneath the table and Yassen seemed to be having an argument with her feet. "This doesn't pardon you letting him out in the first place," she said.

"I _didn't!_"said her feet.

* * *

Meanwhile...

In dark corner of the bar a man wearing a long dark cape was having a hushed conversation with his companion. "You must go to Averiss and fetch the sapphire amulet from Garcia. I will need the extra power." He added. His companion looked flustered.

"But surely, my lord," said Art, the companion, "That is too far to go for such a minor gain in power?"

"I NEED THAT AMULET!" shouted the man, "It is necessary," he said, resuming his placid nature. As Art bustled out of the bar the man looked around to make sure that his conversation had not been over heard. "Now for my other concern." He stood up and with a flick of his cloak, disappeared.

* * *

It was two hours later and Yassen was walking along the road out of Dodge. She supposed she would miss the crumbly little village and she would miss her friends of course, Alicia and Corell… and possibly Xander. Hm.

Suddenly she stopped, she had an instinct for trouble and something _defiantly_ wasn't right. She slowly turned the corner but darted back quickly. Conrad, a very hostile member of the Wolves, was holding someone against the wall by their neck. She peeped round again. It was Xander, Damn, she would have to do something to help him.

"You deserve this," said Conrad, "For what you've done. You don't deserve to live." Xander pushed him away violently, showing unknown strength and before either of them could see her, Yassen ran on into the night, deserting the scene. Maybe she wouldn't miss Xander so much.

Conrad threw Xander brutally onto the floor and kicked him in the torso, Xander groaned. "I don't know what you are talking about," he pleaded.

"No", said Conrad menacingly as he crouched down to Xander's level, "But in the morning the villagers will find Willow dead in _your_ room and we all know whom they will blame." Now Xander was scared, truly terrified, Willow was a girl from the Eagles he had been seeing lately.

"No..." he whimpered. Next, oddly, Conrad took Xander's hand in his took out a flick knife and sliced it from left to right, Xander cried out. Conrad propped him upright and tore of his shirt, whipped the bloody knife on it.

"Not only will the body be in _your_ room but you blood stained shirt will be there too." Conrad then stood up, kicked Xander once more, letting him collapse back onto the floor and walked back into the square towards Xander's house. Xander was left, battered, shirtless and alone, lying pathetically on the damp grass as he slipped gratefully into unconsciousness.

They next morning Conrad went back to that spot but Xander was long gone. _Brilliant_ he thought _Job done._


	4. The Dark Inn

**Yay! At long last I've actually had a review so I thought i might as well finish chapter 3 - enjoy!**

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**Chapter 3 - The Dark Inn**

Foull was a squalid little town but it was the nearest that the Dodge population had to any real major settlement nearby. Uptown you could shop in the market or even go to the theatre if you were careful enough to avoid getting mugged but in downtown Foull it was a completely different story. If you were 'being careful about getting mugged' then you only got mugged once or twice during your visit. Everyday citizens of the area were tough like pigskin but due to the lack of _any_ law enforcement (because most of the Foull officials won't go near the place) they were also as smart as pigskin – and not very intelligent pigskin at that!

If you were to venture into this shady place then you would find that the citizens would fall (drunkenly) into two categories: The one's who hate everyone and keep a flick-knife in their undergarments and the one's who are very close knit in a way that _only slightly_ suggests the Mafia. They usually keep in these groups: the close knit's having parties and the like and the others mugging, maiming, attacking and/or killing each other.

Whichever category you fell into you would meet at 'The Dark Inn'. Everyone at some point or another would end up in the Inn, from men with dark secrets, to shifty characters with dark deals and any other travellers that seemed to pass through the place was packed every night.

On the particular night that we venture into 'The Dark Inn' there is a forlorn individual sitting underneath a black, hooded cloak at the end of the bar.

"Another Cider, mate" The barman had been watching this young figure for a while now; he was covered in bruises and a nasty black eye. Although in downtown Foull everyone had a nasty black eye, maybe that's cruel, most people in downtown Foull had _nice_ black eyes. He can't have been past 20, he had unkept black hair that fell over mysterious dark eyes. He must have been tall for his age but sat hunched over the bar like an old man. He seemed lost, without cause or reason, he looked like he needed a friendly face but in a town like Foull that was unlikely. He jumped as the door opened suddenly and his eyes flitted towards the newcomer, he thought he recognised the bright green eyes underneath the hood for a fleeting second but then they were gone as the stranger swept into the next room.

Grabbing a seat in the corner of the dingy bar Yassen wondered, why in heavens would she seek freedom from Dodge in the direction of the disreputable town of Foull. Even this smaller quieter bar of The Dark Inn was packed with people you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley let alone make friendly conversation with at the bar. She couldn't move on now though as night had already fallen and she had booked a room. Though the state of the room she could not account for, but in a place like this it was probably a dank, dark dorm with its only light coming from a tiny window high up on the wall. Then again she couldn't imagine any sunlight coming to a place like downtown Foull anyway.

Looking up to the Grandfather clock in the corner of the room she decided to head upstairs to see the state of the dorm before going to sleep. She stood up and pushed her way past a drunken fool singing the 746th verse of _If I were a oak tree…_ before pulling open the door into the raucous main bar where she bumped into a hooded figure heading for the stairs. His hood slipped off his head and she found herself looking into the eyes of someone she wasn't hoping or expecting to see for some time to come.

Xander.

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**Like? Don't like? Please tell me what you think.**


	5. Running

**New Chapter! I know! What a rarity. I apoligize but here it is! Please R&R!**

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Chapter 4**

She blinked at the raven-haired youth for a moment before sweeping past him avoiding the stairs and going out the door into the night. She would find another lodgings.

"Wait!" Shouted Xander rushing after her. She was halfway down the road already and it was getting cold. They were the only two people out in the desolate street although shouts and possibly, perish for thought; screams could be heard from a distant alley. It must have been around midnight yet this was the best downtown Foull was likely to get. By the time Xander had reached Yassen a company of mining dwarfs were coming in from the Ryke Mountains. Well, from under them actually. It must have been a change in shift as mining dwarfs rarely ventured out due to their increasing agoraphobia and general aversion to sunlight. The party trudged past the two teenagers with hunched shoulders, limps, coal-smeared faces and went on towards the next valley into the mountains. There were many entrances to the mountains, especially near Foull and dwarves could regularly be seen between shifts slogging from the mines to the underground dwarf settlement of Acorrn. When they turned the corner Yassen finally stopped.

"Why are you following me?" She asked turning around slowly, looking at him like he was a stranger.

"Aren't you glad to see me?" Xander was confused. This was Yassen wasn't it? The Yassen he knew? She ignored the question.

"I doubt that you're in downtown Foull just because you miss me." She let the silence sink in for a few seconds before continuing. "I heard what Conrad said to you. I was passing on my way out of Dodge when he said that you didn't deserve to live. Whatever you did I don't want to be involved in it." With that said she turned on her heel and headed up the street. Xander ran after her again.

"You obviously didn't hear everything." He said to her back. "He's killed Willow." Yassen stopped in her tracks. "I don't know while but he's killed her and pinned it on me. That's why I've had to flee Dodge." Yassen turned again and walked back to him, they were standing next to a side street in one of the main squares in downtown Foull. It's known to being a hive of assassin activity in the witching hour. This of course was unbeknownst to Xander and Yassen.

"That's not like him. Are you sure it's true?" Xander shook his head.

"I didn't have time to find out." They were now both leaning against the wall, fearing what would come next.

It was at that precise point that an arrow, fired from a crossbow on the western side of the square speared into the brickwork between their two faces sending a cloud of red dust into their faces. They both turned at the same time to see a man in a black billowing cape with a crossbow running towards them.

_RUN._ A silent word shared in the instance before the two youths pelted down the side street into the woods and further on into the Ryke Mountains. Now there was no going back. Now their adventure had begun. Now they were tied by a joint instinct to get away. Now they were being pursued.


	6. The Ryke Valley

**Finally! After promising myself to write lots of fanfiction over the summer I get a single chapter in the weekend before I get back... short as usual... easy reading? P**

**Chapter 5**

Dawn spread slowly over the Ryke Mountains, illuminating the fine mist that had settled there through the night, along with the two cloaked figures that were trudging through the gloom.

Xander stopped suddenly and looked up into the morning sky, he could here the bell ringing out from the nearby dwarf mine which made it 8 hours walking from Foull. Yassen looked back at him?

"Why have you stopped?" she said. Her long brown hair was lying half-heartedly on her shoulders, the usual waves, frizzy and lank hung there lifelessly and her bright green eyes had lost their usual shine. They had been walking at the same fast pace, non-stop since the incident in the square through the freezing night. Yassen suspects they would have stopped hours ago if it hadn't been for the two Elven cloaks that they had found in an abandoned cart. Elven goods were well made and she pulled hers closer around her as Xander caught up with her.

"We've been walking for 8 hours straight and we've gotten nowhere." He looked again into the bleak clouded sky and sighed, his usual good humor failing him. "Actually, we've gotten somewhere at least." Yassen looked at him inquisitively. "Away."

After walking a bit further through the valley Xander stopped and slumped down on an old tree stump. "We don't even know what it is we're running from. It could be mistaken identity or some drunk coming home from the pub in a bad mood."

"Which drunk's carry crossbows?" Yassen asked. "That was no drunk, it was almost certainly deliberate. A warning shot, maybe to scare us or just to show off. Whoever it was had a moment of arrogance and wanted to scare us… but instead he scared us _off_." Xander walked past, gestering for her to follow.

"We need to find somewhere to shelter", he said trudging quickly through the trees, "if we don't rest we'll be dead by tomorrow morning. Crossbow or not." Cautiously he stepped over a rotten log and carried on through the woods. He spent the next 10 minutes walking and mulling over the events of the past 24 hours, he had gone from (almost) carefree teenagers to a fugitive on the run; and he hadn't even done anything wrong! Well, unless you count Yassen's horse...

Yassen. Where was she? He hadn't looked back since he had mentioned finding shelter but he had presumed she was following him in her usual stealthy manner.

"Yassen!" His voice echoed emptily in the valley as no-one answered. He drew his bow scouting around the surrounding trees and foliage. There was no way she could just be lost, it was a straight well worn path that they were following and she had more sense to waver from it.

"Yassen!?" This time there was an answer, in the form of the cold steely touch of the tip of an arrow head on the back of his neck.

"Human. You are another fool that thinks he has a right to hunt on our land, lay down your weapon." Xander let his bow drop to the floor as he felt a drop of blood sliver down his spine.


	7. The Plateau

**Another chapter! And by my standards quite a long one... enjoy **

Shortly after that Xander was bound, blindfolded, gagged and dragged up onto the back of a horse by another member of his ambush. Despite his sightlessness he felt the convey begin to canter off into the woods and after only moments he had entirely lost his bearings as they winded at high speed through the trees.

As the horse jolted him up and down he wondered whether Yassen was somewhere in this convoy, bound and gagged like him. Part of him wished she had gotten away but part of him didn't want to be imprisoned alone. The horse jerked again and with his hands tied behind his back and unable to balance he was almost thrown of the horse, his stomach doing a back-flip in the process.

Just as Xander thought he was about to throw up the convoy came to a sudden halt and a voice called from the front.

"We walk from here," the voice that threatened him, shouted.  
After being man-handled of the horse Xander felt himself being pushed along what seems to be a manmade path… manmade, that didn't quite seem accurate. He was prodded in the back again and felt the path begin to slope upwards.

Despite being blind he could tell that as they walked on darkness was beginning to fall over the valley and the pace was still fierce even as the path they were following inclined further.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" the shouted echoed through the trees.

"It is I, Rancorn! My guards and I have discovered trespassers on our land and have brought them in for judgement" said the man who originally ambushed Xander.

Trespassers thought Xander Plural meant that Yassen is here He was confused as to whether that was a good or bad thing. Suddenly the blindfold was ripped off and Xander was faced with a very unexpected site; ahead of him was a huge plateau surrounded by trees, from the look of it, it was around half way up the side of the valley and had been deliberately carved out of the rock.

Lots of wooden huts took their places on the plateau ranging from large houses that could have been home to a large family down to a small hut on the outskirts of the village that seemed to host some kind of sentry. The plateau buzzed with life as families were enjoying their evening meals in the still night.

A magnificent fire was burning tall in the centre of the village, in front of some kind main building, it would have been the mayor office in a human town but the village that Xander saw was home to an Elven tribe. Elves were similar to humans in some ways but different in many others, most were generally at least the height of a tall human as adults with slight builds and mildly pointed ears. The main different between the two races was the Elven gift of natural magic, a skilled human magician could tempt the wind whereas an apprentice Elven warlock could bring mighty gales or fearsome storms. However the Elves were a peaceful race... that is apart from the Elf, Rancorn who currently had an arrow gently touching the back of Xander's neck. He was an exception.  
As Xander was taking all of this in he failed to notice Yassen being dragged off a horse behind him, at the same time the messenger that had run ahead earlier was returning to the group looking downcast.

"Tribe Leader Micah is not pleased, Rancorn", before the messenger could explain further or Xander and Yassen could ask about this Tribe Leader, they found out.

A mightily tall Elf with long pale hair, tied back with a piece of string and wearing a long cloak stormed (albeit gracefully) out of the main building flanked by a calm and beautiful young woman with waist-length platimun hair. The Elf stopped in front of Rancorn and fixed him with a glare yet relaxed, confident posture.

"Do I hear correctly, Rancorn? You have taken two humans as prisoners from the valley track?" Rancorn went to reply but Micah carried on regardless, "Is it also true that I told you that no-one taking that path would be a threat to us? And did I not forbid you to use excessive force after the incident where you tied and gagged the Flechann ambassador?" A hushed laugh rang around the group of gathered villagers and Rancorn flushed visibly. For the first time Xander looked across at Yassen and she flashed him a smile that seemed out of place for when one is bound by the wrists. Rancorn collected himself quickly and attempted his explaination.

"Tribe Leader Micah, I do not believe any kind of force is excessive when safety of the tribe is involved. These humans", he spat the word out, "were advancing towards our land with their weapons drawn." Tribe Leader Micah looked at Xander and Yassen for the first time and laughed deeply.

"Rancorn, do you really feel that two exhausted teenagers are going to be any kind of threat to us? I feel that if anyone were faced with the thought that they were feeling followed that they would draw weapons." His tone grew harsh and his eyes met Rancorn's, "Rancorn, this was you final chance. I am appointing Eldrich leader of our band of fighters as of now." He turned on his heal, ignoring Rancorn's despair and Eldrich, a young man at Rancorn's right's pride and sweepedof back towards the main building.

"You two follow me."

The Elves holding Xander and Yassen realised them and then two teenagers looked at each other and hurried after the Tribe Leader.

* * *

The interior of the meeting hut, as that was what the large building was, was a comfortable room with a fireplace in the middle, the smoke escaped through a tin pipe leading to the roof. There were wooden benches on the edges of the room but immediately surrounding the fire were around a dozen wooden chairs and one grand high-backed chair which the Tribe Leader sat down in. The young woman with the platinum hair took the chair to his right, she noddedand gestured for them to take a seat.

"So," she began, "What brings you near our village? I doubt you wished to meet with us, few even know of this place so I presume you have been travelling through the valley towards Algermere on the other side of the pass or perhaps you are travelling away from somewhere...?"

Tribe Leader Micah was relaxed in his chair, Xander looked at him nervously and gestured for him to speak but Yassen went ahead and took the stand.

"We come from the village of Dodge, I left in order to travel the lands however soon after I left my friend Xander", she gestured to him and confidently carried on, "he was framed for a crime he didn't commit. We met again in Foull and it was there that a man in a black cloak shot a crossbow bolt at us. He was skilled at his work and we calculated him to be an assassin, we were forced to run for our lives into the mountain pass." Xander nodded, confirming what Yassen said.

"You know the rest. We hope that we could shelter in you village for an hour or so before moving on down the valley." Xander's regular confidence had returned albeit being a little more well spoken that usually.

Micah smiled. "Expect more of your hosts, lad! You may stay for as long as you need"

"No offence, Tribe Leader Micah but I feel the word captors is more appropriate", said Yassen, her sharpe tongue snapping back, uncontrolled as she waved her rope-bound wrists. This only made Micah laugh heartily as he unsheathed a blade and made short work of Rancorn's men's knots. He gave them a warm smile, his previous anger at Rancorn, a distant memory.

"This is my daughter, Gwynehh, she is to be the next leader of this tribe and a fine one at that." He turned to her and smiled, "Gwynehh, fetch Mrs Oakersby. She will be happy to house our two guests."

Xander and Yassen looked at each other in shock at the sudden change in events and at the fact that this tribe held women in such high esteem, in all the places they had ever visited outside of Dodge women were downtrodden and a strong woman was thought of as strange (Dodge was unusual in it's history of a woman, Emilia Cortex fighting the authoritysin the 3rd century witch trials).

As they followed Gwynehh out of the room Xander looked at Yassen, his usual cheekiness returned. "I knew it wasn't a bad thing being ambushed!"

Yassen thumped him playfully on the arm, "Says you! That Rancorn guy knocked me out before tying me up. Feel lucky that you only got threatened!" She said rubbing the back of her head yet still smiling. 


End file.
